


Factoring Stability

by scy



Category: Star Trek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-01
Updated: 2010-01-01
Packaged: 2017-10-05 14:10:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/42565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scy/pseuds/scy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Certain things need to be said</p>
            </blockquote>





	Factoring Stability

**Author's Note:**

> The lovely onefishjyuufish betaed. Sequel to Methodology, Differential Equations, and Relative Movement.

Between largely pro forma hearings, awards ceremonies and the final preparations for the Enterprise's departure, Jim got little opportunity to dwell on what had happened with Spock and Uhura. That was both a help and a distraction, as it felt right when he slid the gold tunic over his head, but when he adjusted its fit in the mirror, he thought someone else should be there with him.

He strode onto the bridge and accepted everyone's status reports as well as Uhura's deliberate use of his title with a smile. They all knew how serious the occasion was, but none of them could help but be excited as they prepared to go into warp and head out into the unknown.

Spock's appearance on the lift was a surprise but not a shock and Jim rose eagerly to greet him. Even if there was no concrete proof that Vulcans were capable of being sarcastic or using innuendo, Jim was going to start doing more extensive research on the subject. Spock's remark about providing character references couldn't have been said more innocuously and yet it made Jim's stomach tighten pleasantly. He was honest with Spock when he said it would be an honor to have him aboard, and when the Vulcan walked to his station, Jim knew that they were on their way to being who and where they needed to be.

The trouble was that, as Captain, Jim had to be certain that he didn't cross professional boundaries even while he tried to make himself personable. He wasn't, as Bones accused, trying to make everyone like him, but he didn't want to be completely unapproachable. That left him with one person he could complain to when things weren't going the way he wanted them to, and he didn't appreciate it when Bones listened to him for all of two minutes and then started laughing. It might have been because Jim started talking about appropriate workplace behavior, but Jim had to grab Bones' arm so he didn't fall off his chair.

"Professionalism, Bones, you have heard of it right?" Jim asked.

"You wouldn't know it if someone hit you over the head with the Code and Conduct manual," Bones said and kept his eyes down, cutting his food as if it had personally offended him.

"Under the right conditions, that could be fun," Jim said.

Bones shook his head. "I have enough to deal normally, what with when you're chasing anyone who catches your eye, I don't need to hear about your kinks."

Jim grinned. "Are you afraid you might like some of them?"

"Absolutely not," Bones said and jerked his chin at the doorway. "I'm not the only one who doesn't want to hear about your twisted sexual exploits."

When Jim followed Bones' nod, he smirked. Uhura and Spock had entered the mess hall and taken seats together. They were carrying a number of PADDs and spread them out as they ate, apparently having a working lunch.

"I don't get how she can stand being with that green blooded devil. Even when he's not on duty he still acts like it," Bone said.

"Maybe some people like that about him."

"That he's as cold as an icicle? You work with him every day, Jim, what could they possibly talk about besides sensor readings?" Bones poked at the lump on his plate that was supposed to be fish, and eyed it distrustfully.

"She worked in the Xenolinguistics Department at the Academy, they must like spending time together," Jim said, took a bite and grimaced.

"What did Spock teach again?" Bones asked as he pushed the salt closer to Jim.

"Interspecies Ethics and I think a couple of Linguistics classes," Jim frowned. "You know, the first time I saw Uhura, I told her she had a talented tongue."

Bones gaped at him. "How are you still alive?"

"I got into a fight with some cadets right after that, and besides, she thought I was funny."

"She probably figured you were too brain damaged to understand an actual insult," Bones said.

Jim shook a finger at Bones. "Advanced Phonology, that's what Spock taught. You know, the study of sounds and speech."

Bones paused and absorbed that. "Which means that Spock also has a talented tongue."

They stared at one another and then turned in unison to crane their necks and look at Spock with new fascination.

"Jim, why do you make me think of these things?"

"It shouldn't bother you, as a doctor you're supposed to know a lot about other species."

"I don't want to be any more informed about the sexual proclivities of my patients than I can help," Bones said. "Especially not about Spock's urges. If he even has such things."

"I wonder-" Jim said and Bones groaned.

"Can't you think about anything besides getting laid?"

"Sure, but this is just too intriguing not to investigate."

"Don't, Jim, I've only just reassured my staff that they won't be treating their captain for injuries incurred while he was an ass more than need be."

"Are you suggesting I need to have my ass kicked?"

"I'm not saying I look forward to patching you up, but something about getting yourself beaten to a pulp does seem to put you in a better mood."

"Then you have been paying attention to me," Jim said.

"I try and avoid it as much as possible."

"And yet you noticed that?"

"Forget I mentioned it," Bones said.

"It's sweet that you care so much about my well being," Jim said. "It's really touching."

Bones looked like he was either fighting off a headache or the desire to strangle Jim. "I will never express concern for you again."

"You can't help it, I'm irresistible."

"Not everyone would agree with you."

"Name one person on this entire ship."

"Spock and Uhura. So far I haven't seen either of them abandon sense and declare their ardent love for you."

"They're waiting for the right moment."

"It's truly incredible, how do you avoid hitting your head on the doorway when it's swelled so big?" Bones asked. He added, "Please don't actually ask Spock if he's good with his tongue. I'm still eating and don't want to have to haul you down to Sickbay."

"Would I really be that immature?" Jim asked.

"Jim, I know you."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

"Sometimes I'm not sure. Whatever you're plotting, don't try and drag Spock into it again. Only you would think inciting violence was the same thing as grief counseling."

"It wasn't because I wanted to make him mad, Bones. Spock couldn't admit that he was affected by what happened, and he needed someone to get a reaction. It just so happened that I was the only choice."

"It was completely unselfish?"

"Well, up until he wouldn't stop choking me, I thought it was going well."

"I think the part that you should focus on was the fact that he was choking you, Jim. Most people don't consider that progress." Bones winced. "If I didn't already know that you liked taking risks, I would that you were a masochist, and because I don't want to get into exactly how screwed up you are, I'm leaving that one alone."

Jim widened his eyes dramatically. "But, Bones, who else can I talk to about these feelings if not the Chief Medical Officer?"

"Someone who has a vested interest in making the most of your habits, and if you find that person, please leave me out of it." Bones regarded Jim with suspicion. "I don't trust that smile, Jim, so stop it, otherwise I'm going to be too uneasy to finish lunch."

Jim let it go, but glanced in Spock and Uhura's direction and nodded in a greeting that promised he would talk to them later.

There was an opportunity in the next week for him to approach them more personally, and he took care not to broadcast his plans, in case they were unsure of his interest now that they were on the Enterprise and charged with a long-term mission. It stood to reason that they couldn't be too open about any burgeoning relationship, but Jim was adamant that he take advantage of what had already been offered.

Jim approached Spock's station and cleared his throat when the Vulcan didn't immediately look up. "Mr. Spock, I would like to speak to you if you're free this evening."

"I had planned on reviewing the astrological charts prior to our arrival in the next solar system," Spock said, and Jim wanted to roll his eyes.

"If you could be persuaded to postpone that fascinating review, could you spare the time?"

"I might be amenable, were there a worthwhile incentive."

"I promise you there will be," Jim said, and felt Uhura also giving him her attention, although there wasn't even a twitch in her expression.

"Then I will expect you at 2245," Spock said.

"Great, I'll see you then." For the rest of the shift, Jim kept a grin off his face by force of will, but he knew there was a spring in his step and his orders had a certain lilt to them. He didn't know if he was supposed to bring anything, so he replicated two bottles, one of synthehol and one of wine and brought them along.

He pressed the door chime and heard footsteps approaching and then Uhura was standing in the doorway. She smiled at the sight of the bottles Jim was holding and beckoned him inside.

"You're on time," Uhura said.

"It's important that I start this out right. Even the little things matter, right?."

"They are especially significant," Spock said, standing by the table.

"I brought these," Jim said and offered the bottles to Uhura, feeling like they were proof of his resolve and would lead him past the customary social niceties and back to the place Jim had found the last time they were together.

"Nice," Uhura said and took them from him.

"You are uneasy," Spock said and Jim responded frankly.

"Yeah, that's a given."

"There was no indication of hesitancy when you insisted on meeting this evening. What has prompted your uncertainty?"

"It's enough that you know I'm nervous, we need to analyze why?"

"Yes," Uhura said.

"This is how you seduce each other? By examining every little word?"

"Close scrutiny of relevant data is a worthwhile exercise."

"Still, it's not very sexy," Jim said.

"You are extremely single minded," Uhura said.

"I'm aware of that."

"On occasion, that may be to your detriment," Spock said.

"Essentially, you don't know that I mean what I say, and so I need to let you get inside my head to show you that I want to continue."

"That is an accurate summation."

Although he had been ready for any number of uncomfortable demonstrations of how ready he was to do this, this was still a surprise. Having Spock, or anyone getting a glimpse inside his mind was not appealing to Jim, and he fixated on the present instead. "Is this because you don't trust that I'll tell you the truth?"

"What you believe and what's really true aren't the same thing," Uhura said.

"You must weigh the consequences of giving up some of your defenses in order for this to arrangement to function. That can be done during the meal," Spock said, and Jim took that to mean he was supposed to sit, but waited for Spock to pull out Uhura's chair. He caught the sharp glance she gave him but didn't know what it meant.

Spock and Uhura filled a plate with a variety of vegetables and passed it to Jim. That confused him, he knew that he could serve himself dinner, but the matter of fact way they did it gave him a clue that it was significant. He didn't get a choice in what he ate, and that tiny distinction prompted him to ask a question that had been on his mind.

"How is this going to work? I mean, this whole thing, us being on the ship together?"

"You are the Captain," Spock said, as if he was reminding Jim of something that should have been obvious.

"Not in here," Jim said, making a leap from not making the decisions to the end result.

"Antagonism has no place on the bridge, and neither do various facets of this arrangement," Spock said.

"Then you're telling me that I can boss you around on the job, that's one thing, but this is between us alone."

"That makes sense," Uhura said.

"Kind of a big job," Jim said.

"Someone has to command the captain."

"That's what you're going to do? You sure you can handle me?" Jim grinned and leaned back in his chair.

"We have not encountered any insurmountable obstacles to that end," Spock said.

"You sought us out in the first place, this is something you want," Uhura said.

"Yeah, I guess you're right about that. I have to let you know, I'm up for a lot, but I don't know about that mental stuff," Jim said.

"It's not mumbo jumbo," Uhura said. "There are methods for it."

"Yeah, I know that. I just don't know if I want to go through with that again."

Spock didn't so much as twitch. "What is that?"

"Putting our minds together."

"Someone did it to you already? Without you wanting to?" Uhura asked.

"I had no idea of what was going to happen."

"Did it hurt?" Uhura asked.

"A bit," Jim poked at his dinner. "It wasn't his fault, he didn't have a lot of time and I got the feeling that he hadn't done it in awhile."

"Who was it?"

Jim looked at Spock. "The older you, from the future."

"My alternate self performed a mind meld on you without your explicit consent?" Spock didn't frown, but his disapproval was outlined in the stiff way he held himself.

"I already told you, he was only trying to help."

"The point is," Uhura said. "that he did hurt you, and that it wasn't what you expected." Her anger wasn't hidden as well as Spock's.

"Yeah, I know."

"That's why you don't want to do it again."

"Can you blame me?"

"No," Spock said and laid his silverware down.

Uhura did likewise. "James, either you can do this or you can't. I'm not saying that you have to want to right now, but it's possible that it could happen."

"I don't know," Jim said and got out of his seat, needing to move and get away from the discussion.

"Jim, sit down," Spock said.

Somehow Jim was beginning to automatically listen to that tone of voice and he did as he was told without complaining.

"A mind meld is by its nature and definition, a very intimate act. It is not often discussed, and even more rarely performed on outsiders,. Not only because our minds will be joined, but because the very act of putting my skin against yours will cause a bond to form. Once this occurs, it will be easy to do again. For some this is unpleasantly invasive."

"Meaning that even though it felt weird, we could keep doing it, and the bond would get stronger each time?"

"Yes," Spock said.

"Why would you want that?"

Spock didn't immediately explain himself. "You do not have to do this. It is possible for you to continue on this course without including this element."

"But you think it's important. Even if I don't know whether or not it might be a really bad idea."

Spock's hands were folded in front of him and he didn't stir toward Jim at all, but it felt like some force was reaching for him.

"Could there already be a bond? From when you beat the hell out of me?"

"There was very little actual contact between us."

"It was memorable,though, at least for me," Jim said.

"I was not able to glean a great deal when I was restraining you," Spock said, being precise about his words. "Admittedly, a small amount of emotional transfer is unavoidable in such a case."

"Considering that you were emotionally compromised, I'd say you were lying if you told me that you hadn't felt a single thing."

Spock kept quiet, and there was practically no expression on his face, but Jim felt a warning. "The ability of a different species to feel emotion should not be discounted simply because they do not express it in the same manner as you."

"Okay," Jim said and let air hiss out between his teeth. "This is my way of expressing myself. I want this, but I don't know how to-" he frowned. "Make it what it should be."

"Who says it has to be anything specific?" Uhura asked. "It's whatever we make it."

"Or what you tell me it's going to be," Jim said, because he had no doubts about who was in control when they were alone together and it wasn't him.

"On the contrary, Jim," Spock said, and the sound of his name from the Vulcan was a little shock of sound every time he said it. "Your desires are of great interest to us, and for you to withhold anything would be counterproductive." He gave Jim's abandoned silverware a glance. "As would disdaining a meal." When Jim didn't react immediately, Spock said a single word. "Eat."

Again, it was easy to do what Spock told him to, and Jim picked up his fork. "You want me to give you whatever you ask for."

"No, James," Uhura said. "You need to trust enough to show us everything."

For the entirety of their conversation, neither of them had reached out to Jim, and he felt like he was on the edges of their orbit, barely hanging on, but just then, Uhura reached out and touched his arm.

"Do you want to do that? Can you?"

Jim turned his hand up so that he could hang onto Uhura's, and she let him lace their fingers together so that he felt supported on one side. That left Spock watching him and waiting for an answer that would inform his next move.

"Yes."

Knowing that he had said the right thing was nothing compared to having Spock stand up and gesture for Jim to come with him, Uhura leading him by their joined hands. It was strange, but he still felt shaky, and wasn't positive that he even knew why.

"You did good, James," Uhura said as she brought him into the bedroom and then eased him down on the large bed.

"I didn't do much of anything," Jim said.

"You moved your mouth and words came out."

"That's not new."

"It was, though." Uhura nudged Jim over onto his side and slid in front of him. She threw a leg over his hip and laid a hand on his face. "Look at me, James, you're still shaking."

"I'm sorry."

"There is no need to apologize," Spock said and Jim felt his body come to rest on the bed behind him. He didn't actually touch Jim, but the heat of his body was inescapable and Jim inched backwards, seeking that comfort.

"What happens now?"

"You need rest."

"I'm fine."

"You're too tense," Uhura said.

"Are you going to relax me?" Jim grinned.

"Not the way you're assuming. There's more to this than sex."

"Like what?"

"Enough," Spock said and put a hand in the center of Jim's back. "There is nowhere else that you must be."

"Eventually I am going to have to go back on duty, and so are you."

"Not yet." Uhura said. "I thought you would be better at this."

"Threesomes?"

"Taking it easy."

"I make it look that way."

"Fair enough, but you don't need to do that here."

"So I should get used to hanging out here until you say otherwise?"

"Basically, yes."

Jim considered the implications of that, how it could conflict with his official duties, and then found himself savoring the warmth of the space between Spock and Uhura and the mirroring of their hands on his body. "That doesn't sound too bad."


End file.
